"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: whatever you call it,
whoever you are, you need one." -Jane Howard

Wednesday, June 8, 2011

What a Hero!

Nothing worse than being hung up on.  Unfortunately, this isn't rare for me when Jimmy's at work.  I called last night around 8:30 for no real reason, and he pick up the phone and said, "Gotta call you back!" Click.  I figured he was in the middle of apprehending a bank robber or ... insert cheap cop joke... eating a "pastry," and thought nothing of it.  Turns out he did something amazing in the hour that it took him to return my phone call. 



Jimmy was the first to see the fire, and immediately released the prisoner he had in handcuffs (minor offense, mind you), and ran toward the building.  While sprinting, Jimmy radioed dispatch telling them to send the fire squad immediately.   As this video indicates, two additional New Carrollton officers followed Jimmy throughout the building, banging on doors, and evacuating residents.  Jimmy told me that he tried as best he could to reach the third floor, but was stopped by the suffocating smoke and flames, and had to wait for the firetrucks to arrive to rescue those trapped with heavy equipment. 

When Jimmy finally returned home after his 14 hour shift (10 regular hours plus 4 additional hours to assist and record events from the fire), he wreaked of smoke, a lingering reminder of the horrific fire. I joked with him, saying, "you ready to go back to Coastal?!" (which is amazing that I could muster up humor at 2:30 a.m.), and he smiled, knowing full well that he has found his passion.

This experience, once again, confirms that Jimmy is an adrenaline junkie, since he was all hyped up afterward.  What a weirdo.  I would have been balled up in a corner crying for having cheated death.  At the very least we've confirmed what we already knew: Jimmy is cut out for this.

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